Cadmium in the Environment

143 Pages·1986·4.625 MB·English

by  I. Thornton (auth.), Hans Mislin, Oscar Ravera (eds.)

EXS 50:
Experientia Supplementum
Vol. 50
Birkhäuser Verlag
Basel· Boston· Stuttgart
Cadmium
in the Environment
Edited by
Hans Mislin
Oscar Ravera
1986 Birkhäuser Verlag
Basel' Boston' Stuttgart
Parts of this review were published previously in 2 issues of the journal
EXPERIENTIA, Vol. 40, No. I, pp. I-52, 1984 and
EXPERIENTIA, Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 117-164, 1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Cadmium in the environment.
(Experientia. Supplementum; vol. 50)
Parts of this review were published previously in:
Experientia ; vo1.40, no.I-2, 1984.
Includes bibliographies and index.
1. Cadmium-Toxicology. 2. Cadmium-Environmental
aspects. I. Mislin, Hans, 1907- . H. Ravera, O.
IH. Series: Experientia. Supplementum; v. 50.
[DNLM: 1. Cadmium-adverse effects. 2. Cadmium
analysis. 3. Environmental Pollution-analysis.
Wl EX23 v. 50 I QV 290 C1241]
RA1231.C3C341986 363.7'384 86-8299
ISBN-13: 978-3-0348-7240-9
CIP-Kurztitelaufnahme der Deutschen Bibliothek
Cadmium in the environment I ed. by Hans Mislin ;
Oscar Ravera. - Basel; Boston; Stuttgart :
Birkhäuser, 1986.
(Experientia : Supplementum; Vol. 50)
ISBN-13: 978-3-0348-7240-9
NE: Mislin, Hans [Hrsg.]; Experientia I
Supplementum
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, e\ectronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the
copyright owner.
© 1986 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1986
ISBN-13: 978-3-0348-7240-9 e-ISBN-13: 978-3-0348-7238-6
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-0348-7238-6
Contents
Part I: Cadmium in the Environment
I. Thornton:
Geochemistry of cadmium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
M. Astruc:
Evaluation of methods for the speciation of cadmium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
C.R. Williams/R.M. Harrison:
Cadmium in the atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
W. Salomons/H.N. Kerdijk:
'Cadmium in fresh and estuarine waters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
L. Mart/H. W. Nürnberg:
The distribution of cadmium in the sea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
u. Förslner:
Cadmium in sediments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
c.P.c. Poon:
Removal of cadmium from wastewaters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Part 11: Bioaccumulation of Cadmium
R.D. Davis:
Cadmium in sludges used as fertilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
S. Ray:
Bioaccumulation of cadmium in marine organisms ............................................... 65
o. Ravera:
Cadmium in freshwater ecosystems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
R. Van Bruwaene/R. Kirchmann/R. Impens:
Cadmium contamination in agriculture and zootechnology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
F.F. Munshower:
Pathways and distribution of cadmium in grasslands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
R.M. Cox:
Contamination and effects of cadmium in native plants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Part 111: Cadmium and Human Health
J.c. Sherlock:
Cadmium in foods and the diet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
A. Bernard/R. Lauwerys:
Cadmium in human population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Z.A. Shaikh/L.M. Smith:
Biological indicators of cadmium exposure and toxicity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
W.H. Hallenbeck:
Human health effects of exposure to cadmium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
K.J. Yost:
Cadmium, the environment and human health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 137
7
Part I: Cadmium in the Environment
Geochemistry of cadmium
by I. Thornton
Applied Geochemistry Researc..h Group, Department ofGeology, Imperial College, London SW7 2BP (England)
Cadmium, a transition metal, is a member of Group IIB Table 2. Cadmium content of minerals (in J.lg/g, except where noted)
of the periodic table, which also includes zinc and mer Mineral Composition Range
cury. Pure cadmium is a bluish-white metal but does not Sphalerite (Zn,Cd)S 0.0001-2%
occur as such in nature. It was first discovered in 1817 by Greenockite CdS 77.8%
a German chemist, F. Stromeyer, as a constituent of the Hawleyite CdS 77.8%
Chalcopyrite CuFeS2 < 0.4-110
zinc ore smithsonite (ZnC03). Cadmium is mainly found Marcasite FeS2 < 0.3-< 50
in zinc, lead-zinc and lead-copper-zinc ores, and its con Arsenopyrite FeAsS <5
centration is usually related to their zinc content. It is also Galena PbS < 10.-3000
found in varying amounts as a natural component of the Pyrite FeS2 < 0.06-42
Pyrrhotite Fe(l- Trace
surface environment in rocks, overburden and soils, wa x)S
Tetrahedrite (Cu,Fe,Zn,Ag)l2SbAs4Sl3 80-2000
ter, air, plant and animal tissues. Its geochemical behav Magnetite Fe304 0-{).31
ior is similar to that of zinc because of the similar electron Cadmium oxide CdO 87.5%
Limonite Hydrous iron oxides < 5-1000
structures and ionization potentials of the two elements.
Wad and manganese oxides Hydrous manganese oxides < 10-1000
In nature cadmium is nearly always present in the Cd2+ Anglesite PbS04 120-> 1000
oxidation state and occurs as eight stable isotopes as Barite BaS04 < 0.2
shown in table l. 112Cd and ll4Cd are the most common. Anhydrite and gypsum CaS04; CaS04 . 2HP < 0.2
Radioactive isotopes with mass numbers 104, 105, 107, Calcite CaC03 < 1-23
Smithsonite ZnC03 0.1-2.35%
109, 111, 113, 115, 117, 118 and 119 have been made Otavite CdC03 65.18%
artificially, of which 113 Cd has the longest half-life of 5.l Pyromorphite PbsCI(P04h < 1-8
years27. Scorodite FeAs04' 2H20 < 1-5.8
Beudantite PbFe3(As04)(S04)(OH)6 100-1000
Apatite Cas(F,CI)(P04h 0.14-D.15
Cadmium in rock forming minerals Bindheimite Pb2Sb206(O,OH) 100-1000
Silicates 0.03-5.8
Cadmium has an ionic radius ofO.97 A, similar to that of (from Boyle and Jonasson\
Ca++ (0.99 A) and Na+ (0.98 A) and could be expected to
be found in their minerals. Goldschmidt'O has shown yellow coating on weathering sphalerite (ZnS). Cadmium
detectable substitution of cadmium for calcium in bytow is a constituent of several zinc minerals, particularly the
nite feldspar of anorthosite and in monoclinic augite phe sulphide, sphalerite which is the principal cadmium bear
nocysts of basalts and has also shown crystal structures ing mineral in primary deposits. Cadmium forms an
of cadmium oxide and carbonate closely resembling oxide and carbonate under natural conditions of which
those of similar calcium compounds. Vinogradov36 com the former is the more common. Both cadmium and zinc
ments on the relatively large ionic radius ofCd++ and that are strongly enriched in hydrot hermal rocks and minerals
it probably entered into minerals of later crystallization. found at relatively low temperatures. Cadmium is also
Cadmium, like zinc, is found in ferro-magnesian miner found in some secondary minerals, particularly smith
als. It seldom becomes enriched in igneous rocks24 though sonite (ZnC03) and in hydrous mangane se and iron
is present in acid igneous rocks mostly in biotite and in oxides formed in the oxidized zones of zinc deposits. A
traces in apatite2S. more comprehensive review of cadmium containing min
Cadmium has a markedly chalcophile nature and forms erals is given by Holmes'2, who provides a comprehensive
two common sulphides - greenockite and hawleyite (hex listing of the ranges of cadmium concentrations found in
agonal and isometric forms respectively of CdS). The sulphide, sulphate, oxide, carbonate, silicate and non
former is frequently found under natural conditions as a specific minerals. The cadmium content of the more com
mon minerals found in sulphide and other deposits has
been tabulated by Boyle and Jonasson7 and this listing is
Table 1. Stable isotopes of cadmium with natural abundances reproduced in table 2. The principal cadmium minerals
Isotope % formed from the oxidation of primary sphalerite and
106Cd 1.21 other cadmium bearing minerals are greenockite and
108Cd 0.88 hawleyite. Cadmium oxide and octavite are rare.
lIoCd 12.39 Waketa and Schmitt27 have also compiled published da ta
lllCd 12.75
for the cadmium content of rock-forming minerals, in
112Cd 24.07
113Cd 12.26 cluding those for sphalerites from the United States, the
114Cd 28.86 Soviet Union, Sweden and Vietnam ranging from 500 to
116Cd 7.58
18,500 Ilg/g Cd.
8
Cadmium in rocks Table 4. The cadmium content of some black shales in England and Wales
(taken from Holmes!2)
The average concentration of cadmium in the earths crust
Formation Locality Age Range Mean*
has been reported as 0.15 Ilgj g38 and 0.11 Ilgj g5 and in the
Lower Worston Bowland Forest
upper lithosphere as 0.5 Ilgjg with a zinc:cadmium ratio shale group Lancashire BI-2 < 1-32 4.4 (46)
of around 250: 1I O. A similar zinc :cadmium ratio has been Lower Bowland Bowland Forest
reported for American magmatic rocks25 and for 'terres shale group Lancashire PI 1-105 16.2 (35)
trial' rocks7. The average cadmium content of igneous Lower Bowland Bowland Forest
shale group Lancashire P2 1-158 16.5 (20)
rocks has been reported as 0.181lgjg with a zinc:cadmium
. Upper Bowland Bowland Forest
ratio exceeding 400: 125. shale group Lancashire EI 1-219 16.6 (59)
Page and Bingham2! have condensed and tabulated data Edale shales North Derbyshire E2 1-39 5.2 (48)
for the abundance of cadmium in igneous, sedimentary Edale shales North Derbyshire HI I-50 6.0 (14)
Edale shales North Derbyshire H2 < 1-91 14.8 (25)
and metamorphic rocks reported by Waketa and
Edale shales North Derbyshire RI 1-32 6.0(11)
Schmitt37 as shown in table 3. Further tabulated data are Dove shales Southwest Derbyshire E2 < 1-25 6.5 (45)
given by Boyle and Jonasson7. There is little difference in Mixon limestone
the cadmium content of igneous rocks which rarely con and shales North Staffordshire PI-2 < 1-65 12.8 (31)
Onecote sandstone
tain more than 1 Ilgjg and usually very much less. For
and shales North Staffordshire PI-2 1-39 9.3 (8)
example, the mean contents of granites have been vari Onecote sands tone
ously reported as ranging from 0.09 to 0.24 Ilgjg and and shales North Staffordshire E2 1-2 1.4 (12)
basalts from 0.13 to 0.22Ilgjg. Ofthe sedimentary rocks, Crackington
formation Devon/Cornwall HI < 1-5 1.3 (39)
bituminous and carbonaceous shales (sometimes referred
Crackington
to as black shales) may contain abnormally large concen formation Devon/Cornwall RI < 1-4 1.7 (55)
trations of cadmium, which may in turn be reflected in Crackington
the weathering cycle and provide significant pathways to formation Devon/Cornwall R2 < 1-3 1.5 (29)
Coal measures Glamorgan d5 < 1-5 1.0 (9)
plants and animals. A detailed study of cadmium in ma Coal measures Chesterfield d5 < 1-3 1.5 (15)
rine black shales in Britain has been undertaken by Hol
• Number of sampies in parenthesis.
mes12, who reports concentrations ranging up to 219 Ilgj
g. Data for cadmium in these black shales are summa
rized in table 4. Concentrations of cadmium ranging
ported as 0.01 to 180 Ilgjg for the U.S.3s, < 0.01 to 22
from 100 to 1000 Ilgjg has been found in the Mansfield
copper-shale ('kupferschiefer') in GermanyB, although Ilgjg worldwide5, 0.3 to 2.0 Ilgjg7, up to 0.2llgjg in bitumi
nous coals from Australia and 0.1 to 65 Ilgjg in Illinois
the accuracy of analysis undertaken at this time may be
basin coals28. Concentrations of cadmium in peats have
open to question. The mean content of cadmium in bitu
been reported as < 1 to 31lgjg (mean 0.25Ilgjg) and up to
minous shale has been previously reported as 0.80 Ilgjg37 50 Ilgjg in the ash of enriched bogs24. Cadmium in crude
and, in shale 0.22 Ilgjg, sandstone 0.05 Ilgjg and
oil ranges widely and in Russia has been reported as
limestone 0.028 Ilgjg40. Metamorphic rocks rarely exceed
below detection limit to over 1000 Ilgjg23.
1 Ilgjg Cd, though hornfels and skarn may range up to 5
Cadmium has been determined in marine sediments,
Ilgjg and schists up to 3 Ilgjg7.
ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 Ilgjg in the Atlantic and Pacific
The cadmium content of coals ranges widely and is re-
oceans20. Oceanic sediments from and flanking the mid
Atlantic ridge have been found to contain almost twice
the cadmium as those away from ridge systems, with
Table 3. Abundance of cadmium in common rocks·
average carbonate-free cadmium contents of 0.650 and
Rock type Cadmium (Ilg/g) NO.of
0.3351lgjg respectively3. Manganese nodules are enriched
Range Mean sampies
in cadmium, with a mean content of 8 Ilgjg reported by
Igneous
Bowen5 (from other published data). Phosphorites may
Granite 0.001-{).60 0.12 44
Granodiorite 0.0 I 6-{).1 0 0.07 5 also be enriched, ranging from 0.01 to 25 Ilgjg Cd5.
Biotite-granite < 0.05-{).50 9
Quartz monzonite 1.4 -1.8
Pitchstone 0.05-{).34 0.17 24 Cadmium in soils
Rhyolite 0.05-{).48 8
Obsidian 0.22-{).29 0.25 2 The main sources of trace metals in unpolluted soils are
Andesite 0.017 2 the parent materials from which they are derived. These
Syenite 0.04-{).32 0.16 6 materials usually comprise weathered bedrock or over
Basalt 0.006-{).6 0.22 39
burden that has been transported by wind, water or gla
Gabbro 0.08-{).20 0.11 8
cial activity. 95 percent of the earth's crust is made up of
Sedimentary
Bituminous shale < 0.3-11 0.80 84 igneous rocks, and 5 % sedimentary rocks, of which
Bentonite < 0.3-11 1.4 10 about 80 % are shales, 15 % sandstones and 5 %
Marlstone 0.4--10 2.6 8 limestones!9. Sedimentary materials tend to overlie the
Shale and claystone < 0.3-8.4 1.0 66
igneous rocks from which they were derived and are thus
Limestone 0.035
more common in the surface weathering environment.
Metamorphic
Soils tend to reflect the chemical composition of the par
Eclogite 0.04-{).26 0.11 6
ent materials from which they were derived. Where re
Garnet schist 1.0
Grey gneiss 0.12-{).16 0.14 2 sidual soils are formed in situ from the underlying bed
• Condensed from data cited by Waketa and Schmitt37. rock, the trace metal content of the soil may be directly
9
Table 5. Amounts ofeadmium, zine and lead in some British soils (Ilg/g, the mobility of cadmium in acidic soils, it has been pro
0-15 em)
posed that migration down the soil profile is more likely
No. of Cadmium Zine Lead
than accumulation at the surface under the influence of
sampies
humid climatesI3, Redistribution of cadmium and zinc
Derbyshire
has been clearly shown both in the soil profile and be
Miningarea 13 1.1-34 94-8000 230-48000
Control areas 5 0.9-3.8 82-241 69-290 tween neigh~oring soils in a catenary square developed
over Carbomferous black shale in Derbyshire, England
Shipham
Miningarea 12 29-800 2520-62400 720-9600 (table 6), In this instance, cadmium has been leached
Control areas 6 2.0-10 208-740 128-344 from i~perfe~tly drained slightly acid soils on the hill top
and nelghbonng slopes and accumulated in waterlogged
Carboniferous blaek
shales org~nic s~ils a~ the base of the slope. Metals are markedly
Valley bottoms 7 3.4-24 170-740 120-1480 ennched III sods of several mineralized areas in Britain
Hili tops and slopes 17 1.5-5.0 55-460 70-500 with a past history of mining, As shown in table 5 cad
(from Marples and ThomtonI5). mium, together with lead and zinc, are present in el;vated
concentrations in soils of the historical mining area of
Derbyshire where galena (PbS) and sphalerite (ZnS) were
related to bedrock geochemistry. However, this relation
worked for several hundred years, Mining of zinc in the
ship may be modified to varying degrees by pedogenetic
processes leading to the mobilization and redistribution form of smithsonite (ZnC03) at Shipham in southwest
England has resulted in extremely high concentrations of
of elements both within the soil profile and between
both cadmium and zinc in soils (table 5) and even soils
n~ighboring soils. Although during weathering, cad
developed from the host rock, dolomitic conglomerate of
miUm goes readily into solution, the main factor deter
mining the cadmium content of soil is the chemical com Carboniferous age, contain 10 ~g/g Cd or more and ex
tend over some 8 km2. Metals in two soils profiles illus
position of the parent rockI3• Kabata-Pendias and Pen
trate both a) surface contamination on reclaimed land
diasI3, listing the ranges of cadmium contents of surface
over the old zinc workings and b) the influence ofunder
soils from many parts of the world, report that the aver
lying mineralized parent materials (table 7), Further de
age contents lie between 0.07 and 1.1 ~g/g and consider
tailed studies on the distribution of cadmium and other
that all values over 0.5 ~g/g reflect anthropogenic inputs.
metals in the soil profiles of this area have been re
Anational survey in Japan in 1972 showed a mean con
ported1 6,29.
centration of cadmium in unpolluted paddy soils of 0.4
~g/g (n = 2746) and in polluted soils 0.9 ~g/g (n = 300);
III areas surrounding zinc mines and smelters the mean Geochemical cycling of cadmium
value found in another survey in 1970 was 4.49 ~g/g Cd
A detailed description of the sources and cycling of cad
(n = 797) with a maximum value in paddy soil of 68.7
mium in the environment falls outside the scope of this
~g/g41.
chapter and the subject has been discussed by several
The cadmium content of British soils was found to range
other authors in this volume. The influence of geo
from 0.08 tolO ~g/g (median< 1.0 ~g/g, n = 659)2. How
chemical parameters commences during the weathering
ever, where cadmium is found in association both with
of rocks and mineral deposits containing cadmium. Dur
lead-zinc mineralization and with marine black shales
soils sometimes contain very much larger concentration~ ing weathering cadmium mainly enters the surface envi
ofthe metal, as shown in table 514.15. Cadmium in surface ronment as soluble compounds, mainly as Cd2+, and the
most important factors controlling its mobility are pH
soils derived from carboniferous black shales in Derby
shire ranged from 1.5 to 24 ~g/gI5,16. It has been postu and oxidation potentialI3• It mayaIso form several com
lated that the smaller amounts of cadmium found in the plex ions (Cd Cl+, CdOH+, CdHCOJ+, CdCIJ-, CdCI/-,
sO,ils co~pared to rocks in some areas underlain by cad Cd(OH)3-) and Cd(OH)42-) and a variety of chelated and
organometallic complexes resulting from the decay of
miUm-nch black shales in Britain is because of mobiliza
tion and leaching of cadmium in the course of soil forma plants and animal matter7, I3.
tionI2,15. Ratios ofcadmium in rock:soil of7:1 to 2:1 have Computer-based models using chemical equilibrium pro
grams have been deve10ped to predict the chemical spe
been shown in several such areas in Britain12, Because of
ciation of potentially hazardous trace metals in soils and
Table 6. Cd, Zn and Pb in typieal soil profiles overlying earboniferous
blaek shale in the vieinity ofTissington, Derbyshire (Marples)14
Cd Zn Pb Table 7. Cd, Zn and Pb in typieal soil profiles in the vicinity of old zine
workings at Shipham, Somerset (Marples and Thomtonl5)
(Ilg/g, dry soil)
Cd Zn Pb
a) Pelostagnogley, top of slope
(Ilg/g, dry soil)
0-10 cm Clayloam 4 248 316
10-20 cm Clay 4 228 252 a) Brown earth, reclaimed land over zine workings
20-50 cm Clay 3 240 160 0- 2 em Root mat 503 48000 4440
50-75 em Clay 3 356 44 2-20 em Silt loam 559 54000 4600
75-100cm Clay/shale 9 536 100 20-45 em Silt loam 216 22000 1960
b) Earthy eutro-amorphous peat, waterlogged valley bottom b) Brown earth, 300 m from nearest workings
0-10 em Fibrous peat 10 312 204 0- 2 cm Root mat 48 3360 960
40-50 cm Amorphous peat 14 660 414 2-20 cm Silt loam 58 4760 920
70-80 em Peaty clay loam 36 1000 328 20-45 em Silt loam 84 8040 1640
80-90 em Peaty clay loam 52 2280 400 45-60 em Silt loam 188 9720 1560
10
watersI8,26, One such model, GEOCHEM, applied to two Table 8. Cadmium content of natural waters (J.Lg/l (parts per billion))
Californian soils predicted the principal aqueous species Description NO.of Range Mean
of cadmium as Cd2+, CdS040 and CdCI+26• This approach sampIes
has yet to be applied widely and may prove difficult in Rainwater, snow (virgin areas, high
environments where organic compounds are frequent. contents are near mineralised zones) 46 < 0.5 -2.0 < 0.5
Rainwater, snow (urban area, Ottawa) 12 < 0.2 -1.0 0.3
Under strongly oxidizing conditions, cadmium may form
Normal stream, river and lake waters 74 < 0.01-5.0 0.3
oxide and carbonate minerals (CdO, CdC01), and under Stream and river waters near cadmium
reducing conditions can also utilize H S produced by deposits 10 < 0.01-1000
2
bacteria during the decay of organic residues and precip Oceans and seas 52 0.24-0.48 0.14
Normal groundwaters 22 < 0.01-1.0 0.05
itate as a sulphide. Cadmium precipitated in soils and
Groundwaters and mine waters near
sediments may be mobilized again by bacteria7, probably polymetallic sulfide deposits 29 Uptol140
in both inorganic and organic forms, and released to soil,
As listed by Boyle and Jonasson7
air and water.
Most unpolluted waters contain very small amounts of
Geochemical maps
cadmium and values of less than 1 ng/g have been re
ported; however concentrations may exceed 10 ng/g9. The first map to show the distribution of cadmium on a
Data compiled by Boyle and Jonasson7 are listed in table regional/national scale was initially published in 197Yl
8; waters in the vicinity of cadmium-bearing mineral de and then in 1978 as part of the Wolfson Geochemical
posits may range up to 1000 Jlg/I or more. Inshore waters Atlas of England and Wales19• Based on the analysis of
in the U.K. have been shown to range from 0.14 to 4.20 50,000 stream sediment sampIes, maps for 21 elements
Jlg Cd/P, reflecting metal-rich inputs from industrial and were presented as smoothed data plotted by computer.
old-mining sources. Rivers containing present-day min For cadmium (fig.2) 83 % of the area is covered by the
ing effluent and adit drainage from old mines in Corn lowest class interval (less than 1 Jlg/g in the < 204 Jlm
wall, southwest England, have been shown to range up to fraction), corresponding to normal base-line concentra
6 Jlg CdW,40· tions in rocks and soils. Anomalous patterns are shown
Factors influencing the availability and uptake of cad by the darker areas and indicate three main sources ofthe
mium into biological systems are detailed elsewhere in metal:
this volume. The principles of environmental geochem 1) Cadmium associated with zinc ores in mineralized
istry which govern the chemical characteristics in the areas where past mining and smelting oflead and zinc has
surface environment and the complex interactions in the led to contamination of surface drainage and soils. These
system rock-water-air-life are outlined by Plant and Rais areas include the mining districts in Derbyshire and
we1F2• A generalized geochemical cycle for cadmium has around Shipham, Somerset, mentioned earlier in the
been compiled by Boyle and Jonasson7 and is reproduced chapter.
in figure 1. 2) Cadmium (usually associated with zinc and/or lead
BIOSPHERE
DEGRADA TlON
Plants ~ Animals
I +
DEGRADA TlON ABSORPTION
AND AND
SOLUTION ADSORPTION
t I
PRECIPIT AT ION
HYDROSPHERE PEDOSPHERE
ATMOSPHERE
Soils
PRECIPIT AT lON Water ~ Sediments SOLUTION Glacial Materials
t
CHEMICAL PRECIPJ AT lON
SOLiiON AND
AND SEDIMENTATION
I OF SOLIDS MECHANICAl
I J WEtHERING SOLUTION AND
l_ __
~s!... __ _ MECHANICAl
WEATHERING
LlTHOSPHERE
Rocks
CHEMICAl Cadmium· Bearing PRECIPITATION AND
. Deposits
PRECIPITATION CONSOLIDA TION OF SOLIDS
Figure I. Generalized geoehemieal eyde of cadmium (from Boyle and Jonasson7).
11
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